Laws don't miraculously change themselves; it's a long and involved process that usually begins with people who are being adversely affected by said law. In yesterday's news out of North Carolina, those people are a group of birth mothers, demanding to be heard.

North Carolina has a law, mandated in 1949, that prevents adult adoptees from easily finding their biological parents. The group of birth mothers appeared before a House judiciary committee to please the case for the bill. What does the bill entail? Allowing an adult adoptee to receive a copy of his or her original birth certificate that names the biological parents.

Did you get a chill, too?

Their reasons are ones we have heard time and time again: secrets are a thing of our past. Of course, they were met with questions from judiciary members, asking about those birth parents that do wish, for their own myriad of personal reasons, to remain anonymous. Furthermore, some asked if this bill would make expectant mothers less willing to place children for adoption. The two latter questions are being asked by supporters of voluntary registries as opposed to an open records system.

In my opinion, bills likes this are a welcome idea in my world. Even if this bill fails (voting has been put off until later this week), the subject is in the newspaper. People are seeing that birth parents are no longer ashamed, are speaking out and are clamoring for change. When people clamor for change, taking it as far as creating and backing a bill, it shows that something, somewhere is messed up. Something, somewhere is not clocking right and is ending up hurting more than it is helping.

As for the question posed regarding expectant parents and future adoptions, I don't for see it being the issue that brings domestic infant adoption to a halt. Expectant parents considering in this day in age are still, by the majority, looking to provide their child with information about their medical history and ancestry. Most are demanding open adoptions with varying forms of contact. I don't think they're going to balk at the idea of their adult child gaining access to their original birth certificate. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that they'd probably cherish a copy of it.

From my previous research and discussion with all eras of birth mothers, those who are seeking complete anonymity for life are in the minority. Even if this bill was to fail, those who are in that minority can still be found by adult adoptees who are vigilant and relentless in their searches, some going as far as hiring high-priced private investigators. The truth is that no one, in this day and age, is truly anonymous. I will always be of the opinion that adoptees have a right to the information concerning their health and heritage. I support any bill that seeks to provide them an easy access to such information.



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For More on Adoption Reform, read:

1. Encouraging Trends in Adoption by Jan Baker.

2. Birth Father Rights in Adoption: A Conference by Jenna Hatfield.

3. A Petition for Birth Parents by Jenna Hatfield.